Changed my mind about dry suits after a job off the coast of Newfoundland last January

I was in 38 degree water for a 45 minute bottom time and my old shell suit left me shivering so bad I couldn't grip the tools, and the supervisor pulled me up early, so now I run a crushed neoprene suit with a heated vest underneath, has anyone else made the switch and noticed a big difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor_miller101mo ago

Crushed neoprene with a heated vest is the way to go, same setup saved me during a long shift in the Bering Sea last winter. That old shell suit just can't hold enough heat against your skin when the water is that cold for that long. You'll notice a huge difference in how long you can stay comfortable and focused on the job.

the_jordan1mo ago

Hold up, I gotta push back on that a little. I've been out on the water a few times where crushing a thick neoprene suit with a heated vest underneath just made me sweat like crazy and then get cold once that sweat started cooling down. The old shell suit might not trap heat as well, but it lets moisture out way better which is huge for long days. If your setup isn't breathable you'll end up soaked and shivering way faster than someone in a decent shell with good base layers.

the_mary27d ago

72 layers and I still can't figure out if I'm supposed to be a sweaty popsicle or just a popsicle. Is there a winning option here?